Roof panel suitable for heat-exchanging applications, and heat-exchanging roof assembly incorporating the same

ABSTRACT

A roof panel for a heat-exchanging roof assembly includes a hollow panel body that is made from a heat conducting material, that confines a coolant space, and that includes an upper wall part and a lower wall part disposed below the upper wall part. The panel body is formed with a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet that are in fluid communication with the coolant space and that permit flow of a liquid coolant into and out of the coolant space. At least one of the upper and lower wall parts has an inner wall surface that confronts the coolant space and that is formed with a guide channel. The guide channel extends from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet, and is in fluid communication with the coolant space so as to guide liquid coolant flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 094206509, filed on Apr. 26, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a roof panel, more particularly to a roof panel suitable for heat-exchanging applications.

The invention also relates to a roof assembly, more particularly to a heat-exchanging roof assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional heat-exchanging device 1, such as a solar water heater, includes a storage tank 11, a heat collector 12, and first, second and third pipes 13, 13′, 13″.

The storage tank 11 is disposed above the heat collector 12, and is in fluid communication with the first, second and third pipes 13, 13′, 13″.

The heat collector 12 has a plurality of copper pipelines 120 connected in parallel to each other, and is formed with a coolant inlet 121 and a coolant outlet 122 on lower and upper ends, respectively. The pipelines 120 are for conducting solar energy, and are in fluid communication with the coolant inlet 121 and the coolant outlet 122 so as to guide water (not shown), which serves as a heat-exchanging medium, to flow from the coolant inlet 121 to the coolant outlet 122.

The storage tank 11 is connected to the coolant inlet 121 and the coolant outlet 122 through the first and second pipes 13, 13′, respectively. The third pipe 13″ is connected to the storage tank 11 for supplying heated water in the storage tank 11 to a household, in the direction as illustrated by arrow (C), or for replenishing water in the storage tank 11, in the direction as illustrated by arrow (D).

As the water flows from the coolant inlet 121 to the coolant outlet 122, heat is transferred from the pipelines 120 to the water. The heated water flows through the coolant outlet 122 and the second pipe 13′ into the storage tank 11, in the direction as illustrated by arrow (B), and can be supplied to a household through the third pipe 13″. On the other hand, water in the storage tank 11 can flow through the first pipe 13 into the coolant inlet 121 for subsequent heat exchanging, in the direction as illustrated by arrow (A).

In use, the conventional heat-exchanging device 1 is mounted on and is supported inclinedly by a support framework 2, which in turn is installed on a roof of a building structure (not shown). However, since the conventional heat-exchanging device 1, the support framework 2, and the roof are separate components, higher installation costs are incurred.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a roof panel that is suitable for heat-exchanging applications. Another object of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective heat-exchanging roof assembly that incorporates an array of the roof panels.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a roof panel comprising a hollow panel body that is made from a heat conducting material, that confines a coolant space, and that includes an upper wall part and a lower wall part disposed below the upper wall part. The panel body is formed with a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet that are in fluid communication with the coolant space and that permit flow of a liquid coolant into and out of the coolant space. At least one of the upper and lower wall parts has an inner wall surface that confronts the coolant space and that is formed with a guide channel. The guide channel extends from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet, and is in fluid communication with the coolant space so as to guide liquid coolant flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat-exchanging roof assembly that includes an array of roof panels, and first and second piping networks. Each of the roof panels includes a hollow panel body that is made from a heat conducting material, that confines a coolant space, and that includes an upper wall part and a lower wall part disposed below the upper wall part. The panel body is formed with a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet that are in fluid communication with the coolant space and that permit flow of a liquid coolant into and out of the coolant space. At least one of the upper and lower wall parts has an inner wall surface that confronts the coolant space and that is formed with a guide channel. The guide channel extends from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet, and is in fluid communication with the coolant space so as to guide liquid coolant flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet. The array includes first and second endmost rows of the roof panels. The coolant inlets of the roof panels in the second endmost row are in fluid communication with the coolant outlets of the roof panels in the first endmost row.

The first piping network is connected to the coolant inlets of the roof panels in the first endmost row for supplying the liquid coolant thereto. The second piping network is connected to the coolant outlets of the roof panels in the second endmost row for collecting the liquid coolant flowing out of the second endmost row.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional heat-exchanging device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a roof panel according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a heat-exchanging roof assembly according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view to illustrate roof panel connections in the second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second preferred embodiment mounted to a roof framework; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a heat-exchanging roof assembly according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention mounted to a roof framework.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 2, a roof panel 3 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a hollow panel body 31 that is made from a heat conducting metal material, that confines a coolant space 317, and that includes an upper wall part 311 and a lower wall part 312 disposed below the upper wall part 311. The panel body 31 is formed with a coolant inlet 315 and a coolant outlet 316 that are in fluid communication with the coolant space 317 and that permit flow of a liquid coolant, such as water (not shown), into and out of the coolant space 317. In this embodiment, the panel body 31 is a rectangular panel body.

At least one of the upper and lower wall parts 311, 312 has an inner wall surface that confronts the coolant space 317 and that is formed with a guide channel 32. The guide channel 32 extends from the coolant inlet 315 to the coolant outlet 316, and is in fluid communication with the coolant space 317 so as to guide liquid coolant flow from the coolant inlet 315 to the coolant outlet 316. In this embodiment, the guide channel 32 is formed in the upper wall part 311, and can be formed by pressing the upper wall part 311 from the inner wall surface away from the coolant space 317. The guide channel 32 can also be formed by cutting away part of the upper wall part 311 from the inner wall surface away from the coolant space 317. However, this invention is not limited to this particular aspect.

The upper and lower wall parts 311, 312 have opposite ends, and the panel body 31 further includes first and second end walls 313, 314 that interconnect the upper and lower wall parts 311, 312 at the opposite ends, respectively. The coolant inlet 315 and the coolant outlet 316 are formed in the first and second end walls 313, 314, respectively.

The upper and lower wall parts 311, 312 further have opposite lateral edges, and the panel body 13 further includes first and second lateral walls 318, 319 that interconnect the upper and lower wall parts 311, 312 at the opposite lateral edges, respectively. The first and second lateral walls 318, 319 are provided respectively with first and second wing extensions 341, 342 that extend therefrom and that are disposed outwardly of the coolant space 317. In this embodiment, the first and second wing extensions 341, 342 have arched cross-sections, as best illustrated in FIG. 4. The first wing extension 341 extends from the first lateral wall 318 at a junction of the first lateral wall 318 and the upper wall part 311. The second wing extension 342 extends from the second lateral wall 319 at a level between the upper and lower wall parts 311, 312.

Preferably, at least one of the upper and lower wall parts 311, 312 is formed with a plurality of bumps 33 that project into the coolant space 317 toward the other one of the upper and lower wall parts 311, 312. In this embodiment, the upper wall part 311 has an outer wall surface, and is pressed from the outer wall surface to result in the bumps 33 that project into the coolant space 317. The bumps 33 abut against and are welded to the lower wall part 312. The bumps 33 reinforce structural integrity of the roof panel 3, and also help increase the effective heat-exchanging area when the roof panel 3 is supplied with the liquid coolant that flows through the coolant space 317.

The panel body 31 can be formed by welding the upper and lower wall parts 311, 312, the first and second end walls 313, 314, and the first and second lateral walls 318, 319. Alternatively, the panel body 31 can be formed by welding two thin U-shaped metal plates, one of which includes the upper wall part 311 and the first and second end walls 313, 314, the other one of which includes the lower wall part 312 and the first and second lateral walls 318, 319. In yet another alternative, the panel body 31 can be formed by welding the upper wall part 311 and the first and second end walls 313, 314 to a thin U-shaped metal plate that includes the lower wall part 311 and the first and second lateral walls 318, 319. Preferably, the coolant space 317 has a height of about 1 cm.

Preferably, the coolant inlet 315 and the coolant outlet 316 of the panel body 31 have a male-female coupling configuration so that a pair of the roof panels 3 can be connected in a columnar direction. In addition, the guide channel 32 of the panel body 31 is not limited to a linear channel, and may be a tortuous channel in other embodiments of this invention.

Preferably, the outer wall surface of the panel body 31 is painted with a dark color to further enhance the heat-absorbing efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a heat-exchanging roof assembly 4 according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an array 41 of the roof panels 3 of the first preferred embodiment, and first and second piping networks 44, 45. The array 41 includes a first endmost row 411 and a second endmost row 412 of the roof panels 3. The number of roof panels 3 to be included in each of the first endmost row 411 and the second endmost row 412 depends on a particular application.

The coolant inlets 315 of the roof panels 3 in the second endmost row 412 are in fluid communication with the coolant outlets 316 of the roof panels 3 in the first endmost row 411. In this embodiment, in view of the male-female coupling configuration of the coolant inlet 315 and the coolant outlet 316, the coolant inlets 315 of the roof panels 3 in the second endmost row 412 are connected directly and respectively to the coolant outlets 316 of the roof panels 3 in the first endmost row 411. The first piping network 44 is connected to a source 8 (partly shown in FIG. 3) of pressurized water, and to the coolant inlets 315 of the roof panels 3 in the first endmost row 411 for supplying the liquid coolant, e.g. water, thereto. The second piping network 45 is connected to the coolant outlets 316 of the roof panels 3 in the second endmost row 412 for collecting the liquid coolant flowing out of the second endmost row 412. The second piping network 45 is also connected to a storage tank 7 disposed above the heat-exchanging roof assembly 4 for storing the liquid coolant flowing out of the second endmost row 412. The storage tank 7 has a valve 71 to permit user control of the liquid coolant flow out of the storage tank 7.

The heat-exchanging roof assembly 4 further comprises a plurality of edge fastening units 42, each of which fastens together an adjacent pair of the roof panels 3 in a same row of the array 41. Each of the edge fastening units 42 includes the first and second wing extensions 341, 342 that extend respectively from the first and second lateral walls 318, 319 of an adjacent pair of the roof panels 3 and that are disposed outwardly of the coolant spaces 317 of the adjacent pair of the roof panels 3, and a fastener for fastening together the first and second wing extensions 341, 342. In this embodiment, as best shown in FIG. 4, the first and second wing extensions 341, 342 are stacked one on top of the other, and the fastener includes two screw fasteners 421 that fastens together the first and second wing extensions 341, 342.

As shown in FIG. 5, the heat-exchanging roof assembly 4 is adapted to be mounted to a slanted roof framework 6, which includes a plurality of beams 61 equally spaced apart from each other at positions corresponding to the screw fasteners 421. To mount the heat-exchanging roof assembly 4 onto the roof framework 6, each of the screw fasteners 421 is extended through the first and second wing extensions 341, 342, and engages threadedly a respective one of the beams 61, such that the heat-exchanging roof assembly 4 is secured on the roof framework 6.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the heat-exchanging roof assembly 4 is used for heat-exchanging applications, such as a solar water heater, water is supplied from the source 8 in the direction as illustrated by arrow (I) into the first piping network 44. Subsequently, the water flows from the first piping network 44 into the coolant spaces 317 through the coolant inlets 315 of the roof panels 3 in the first endmost row 411 of the array 41, as illustrated by arrows (E). As the water fills the coolant spaces 317, solar energy is absorbed by the water from the roof panels 3. The heated water flows into the second piping network 45 through the coolant outlets 316 of the roof panels 3 in the second endmost row 412 of the array 41, and subsequently into the storage tank 7, as illustrated by arrows (F), (G), respectively. The heated water collected in the storage tank 7 can be supplied to a household through the valve 71 in the direction as illustrated by arrow (H).

As shown in FIG. 6, the heat-exchanging roof assembly 4′ according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention differs from the second preferred embodiment in that the array 41′ of the heat-exchanging roof assembly 4′ further includes an intermediate set 413 of the roof panels 3 disposed between the first and second endmost rows 411′, 412′. The coolant outlets 316 of the roof panels 3 in the first endmost row 411′ are connected to the coolant inlets 315 of the roof panels 3 in the intermediate set 413, respectively. The coolant inlets 315 of the roof panels 3 in the second endmost row 412′ are connected to the coolant outlets 316 of the roof panels 3 in the intermediate set 413, respectively. It should be noted herein that the intermediate set 413 in the array 41′ is not limited to a single row of the roof panels 3 in other embodiments of the present invention.

Since the roof panel 3 is made from a heat conducting material, when the heat-exchanging roof assembly 4 constructed from the array 41 of the roof panels 3 is mounted on the roof framework 6, solar energy can be collected by the roof panels 3. Since the coolant spaces 317, the coolant inlets 315, and the coolant outlets 316 of the array 41 together provide a coolant flow path for the liquid coolant supplied thereto, the liquid coolant absorbs heat from the array 41 as the liquid coolant flows through the coolant flow path. Therefore, the roof panel 3 and the roof assembly 4 are suitable for heat-exchanging applications. Since it is no longer required to have a separate heat-exchanging device, installation costs are lowered accordingly.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A roof panel comprising: a hollow panel body that is made from a heat conducting material, that confines a coolant space, and that includes an upper wall part and a lower wall part disposed below said upper wall part, said panel body being formed with a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet that are in fluid communication with said coolant space and that permit flow of a liquid coolant into and out of said coolant space; at least one of said upper and lower wall parts having an inner wall surface that confronts said coolant space and that is formed with a guide channel, said guide channel extending from said coolant inlet to said coolant outlet and being in fluid communication with said coolant space so as to guide liquid coolant flow from said coolant inlet to said coolant outlet.
 2. The roof panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper and lower wall parts have opposite ends, and said panel body further includes first and second end walls that interconnect said upper and lower wall parts at said opposite ends, respectively, each of said coolant inlet and said coolant outlet being formed in a respective one of said first and second end walls.
 3. The roof panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper and lower wall parts further have opposite lateral edges, and said panel body further includes first and second lateral walls that interconnect said upper and lower wall parts at said opposite lateral edges, respectively.
 4. The roof panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second lateral walls is provided with a wing extension that extends therefrom and that is disposed outwardly of said coolant space.
 5. The roof panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein said panel body is a rectangular panel body.
 6. The roof panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide channel is formed in said upper wall part.
 7. The roof panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said upper and lower wall parts is formed with a plurality of bumps that project into said coolant space toward the other one of said upper and lower wall parts.
 8. The roof panel as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bumps abut against and are welded to the other one of said upper and lower wall parts.
 9. The roof panel as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one of said upper and lower wall parts has an outer wall surface and is pressed from said outer wall surface to result in said bumps that project into said coolant space.
 10. A heat-exchanging roof assembly comprising: an array of roof panels, each of said roof panels including a hollow panel body that is made from a heat conducting material, that confines a coolant space, and that includes an upper wall part and a lower wall part disposed below said upper wall part, said panel body being formed with a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet that are in fluid communication with said coolant space and that permit flow of a liquid coolant into and out of said coolant space, at least one of said upper and lower wall parts having an inner wall surface that confronts said coolant space and that is formed with a guide channel, said guide channel extending from said coolant inlet to said coolant outlet and being in fluid communication with said coolant space so as to guide liquid coolant flow from said coolant inlet to said coolant outlet, said array including a first endmost row and a second endmost row of said roof panels, said coolant inlets of said roof panels in said second endmost row being in fluid communication with said coolant outlets of said roof panels in said first endmost row; a first piping network connected to said coolant inlets of said roof panels in said first endmost row for supplying the liquid coolant thereto; and a second piping network connected to said coolant outlets of said roof panels in said second endmost row for collecting the liquid coolant flowing out of said second endmost row.
 11. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said array further includes an intermediate set of said roof panels disposed between said first and second endmost rows, said coolant outlets of said roof panels in said first endmost row being connected to said coolant inlets of said roof panels in said intermediate set, said coolant inlets of said roof panels in said second endmost row being connected to said coolant outlets of said roof panels in said intermediate set.
 12. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a plurality of edge fastening units, each of which fastens together an adjacent pair of said roof panels in a same row of said array.
 13. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said upper and lower wall parts of each of said roof panels have opposite ends, and said panel body of each of said roof panels further includes first and second end walls that interconnect said upper and lower wall parts at said opposite ends, respectively, each of said coolant inlet and said coolant outlet being formed in a respective one of said first and second end walls.
 14. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein said upper and lower wall parts of each of said roof panels further have opposite lateral edges, and said panel body of each of said roof panels further includes first and second lateral walls that interconnect said upper and lower wall parts at said opposite lateral edges, respectively.
 15. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of said edge fastening units includes a pair of wing extensions that extend respectively from said first and second lateral walls of the adjacent pair of said roof panels and that are disposed outwardly of said coolant spaces of the adjacent pair of said roof panels, and a fastener for fastening together said wing extensions.
 16. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein said wing extensions are stacked one on top of the other, and said fastener includes a screw fastener that fastens together said wing extensions.
 17. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said panel body of each of said roof panels is a rectangular panel body.
 18. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said guide channel of each of said roof panels is formed in said upper wall part.
 19. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of said upper and lower wall parts of each of said roof panels is formed with a plurality of bumps that project into said coolant space toward the other one of said upper and lower wall parts.
 20. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein said bumps abut against and are welded to the other one of said upper and lower wall parts.
 21. The heat-exchanging roof assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one of said upper and lower wall parts of each of said roof panels has an outer wall surface and is pressed from said outer wall surface to result in said bumps that project into said coolant space. 